Bruce Springsteen gifts fans Christmas surprise at latest show

During their ongoing tour, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band are pulling out the stops, including a Christmas classic: "Santa Claus is Comin' to Town."

Fulfilling a sign request, the Boss and his band performed "Santa Claus is Comin' to Town" during the encore of their November 6, 2024, show in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Videos from the show have surfaced. Springsteen is wearing a Santa Claus hat during the performance. Jake Clemons, the son of the late Clarence Clemons, handled his father's iconic deep voice parts of the song.

As the new documentary Road Diary shows , Springsteen loves sign requests. It is a way for him to potentially throw off his band, forcing them to spontaneously recall how to play songs from their back catalog.

Perhaps it is a little early to start playing Christmas songs, but since Bruce Springsteen's 2024 tour dates do not continue into December, they have to get it in now.

Bruce Springsteen's iconic "Santa Claus is Comin' to Town" cover

The Springsteen cover was recorded during his December 12, 1975, show with the E Street Band in Brookville, New York It was later released on the In Harmony 2 compilation album before getting a promotional single in 1981. The Christmas song cover was later released as a B-side to "My Hometown" from Born in the U.S.A.

He has played it a total of 157 times in his career, according to Setlist.fm. Before the November 6 performance, he had not played it during one of his shows since August 23, 2016.

"Santa Claus is Comin' to Town" was originally written by J. Fred Coots and Haven Gillespie. It is one of the most iconic Christmas songs of all time and has been covered by the likes of Mariah Carey, Bing Crosby, and Frank Sinatra.

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band's tour

Currently, Springsteen and the E Street Band are in the midst of their first tour since the River Tour ended in 2017. In between the tours, Springsteen on Broadway happened and the pandemic.

The current tour commenced on February 1, 2023, in Tampa, Florida. They have since taken the tour across North America and Europe for several legs. In total, 130 shows are currently planned for the itinerary across the six legs.

After their shows in Canada wrap on November 22, 2024, the band will take a break until May 2025. Springsteen and the E Street Band are set for another European leg that will conclude in Milan, Italy, on July 3, 2025.

The tour supports two albums, Letter to You and Only the Strong Survive. The latter was released right before the tour started on November 11, 2022.

The tour has been extended and will span over three years by the time it concludes. This is partially due to health issues causing delays in certain shows.